Nova Southeastern Dominates Montevallo 102-64 to Open Season

The No. 1 ranked Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team opened its 2026-27 campaign with a 102-64 win over Montevallo at SportsMED Arena in Huntsville, Alabama.

Nova Southeastern University Athletics reported that the Sharks secured the 38-point victory through balanced scoring and a high-tempo offense that left the Falcons struggling to maintain pace from the opening tip.

The Sharks established early control by building an 8-2 lead before the first media timeout. This momentum quickly accelerated into a 19-4 advantage following an 11-point unanswered run.

While Montevallo attempted to respond with a three-pointer, Bobby Rosenberger III neutralized the effort with consecutive three-point shots to push the lead to 18 points.

Nova Southeastern utilized efficient shooting to dictate the tempo of the game. The team shot 47.5% from the field during the first half, successfully converting 21 of 46 attempts.

This offensive precision coincided with defensive pressure that forced 11 turnovers from Montevallo. The Sharks capitalized on these mistakes, scoring 12 points directly off those turnovers to enter halftime with a 56-31 lead.

The statistical breakdown of the Sharks’ top performers during the contest is as follows:

Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists/Steals
Bobby Rosenberger III	18	5	2 assists
Enrico Borio	16	10	2 steals
Jared Berry	14	4	—
Jeremy Thomas II	12	7	3 assists

Head coach Jim Crutchfield maintained the offensive pressure throughout the second half. Jared Berry extended the lead to 30 points with two consecutive three-pointers, allowing Crutchfield to rotate his bench early.

The Sharks’ depth was a defining factor in the blowout, as players outside the starting lineup accounted for 55 of the team’s 102 total points. Substitutes Jamie Qualley, Patrick Rowe, Trevor Rehm, and freshman Athens McGillis all played extensively.

Individual milestones were reached during the second half. Patrick Rowe recorded his first points of the season on a fast-break dunk, while McGillis hit a three-pointer to mark his first collegiate points.

This victory marks the start of Jim Crutchfield’s ninth season leading the program. He has won a season opener in every year of his tenure at Nova Southeastern.

The win moves Nova Southeastern to a 1-0 record as they begin their campaign in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). Montevallo falls to 0-1 in the Gulf South Conference (GSC).

The Sharks will face their next challenge in a true road contest against Alabama Huntsville. This matchup is part of the ongoing SSC-GSC Crossover event scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m. EDT.

The Sharks continue their season at Alabama Huntsville on Saturday, November 14.